Burnt self-storage building to be demolished

CBC

A self-storage building in Toronto’s west end that was gutted by fire on Monday and still smouldering on Wednesday will be demolished.

The blaze at Save And Secure Self Storage — at 97 Pelham Ave. in the Dundas Street West and Dupont Street area — began burning on Monday morning. The fire filled the neighbourhood with smoke and forced the evacuation of a nearby school.

CBC’s Trevor Dunn was at the fire site on Wednesday morning, where hotspots inside the building continue to keep firefighters busy.

'Could burn for days'

“Firefighters tell me the fire could burn for days,” Dunn reported at noon on Wednesday. “The hot sports are deep inside the building, trapped inside its walls. Engineers checked out the building and it’s a writeoff, far too much damage to salvage the structure.”

Kim Coulter, one of the engineers working on the demolition, told Dunn it will be a slow process.

“Rather than just knocking it down full swoop, we can’t do that because the fire marshal has to do their inspection, so it’s kind of like a phased approach.”

Dunn said firefighters will remain on the scene as the building is taken down, a process that will begin on Wednesday.

“Right now it seems demolishing the building is the only way to put the fire out,” Dunn reported.

Students have returned to nearby St. Josaphat Catholic School. They were moved to another school on Monday and Tuesday as crews ventilated the school building.

Dunn said the effects of the fire have been tough on those who live in the area.

“You really have to feel for these neighbours,” Dunn reported. “The corner of Osler [Street] and Pelham is dirty and smoky and fire trucks have been running all night.”